Manila - Day 1 (Part 3)

Friday, 10 February 2017

And finally! I arrived at Intramuros. This is a stone citadel founded by the Spanish in 1571. It has withstood wars, natural disasters and successive waves of colonial invaders, although most of the buildings have been converted to other uses (mostly colleges and schools).

Intramuros is Spanish for "within the walls". It is the oldest district and the historic core of Manila, Philippines. It is also called the Walled City, it was the original city of Manila and was the seat of government when the Philippines was a component realm of the Spanish Empire. Districts beyond the walls were referred as the extramuros of Manila, Spanish for "outside the walls".

Construction of the defensive walls was started by the Spanish colonial government in the late 16^th  century to protect the city from foreign invasions. The walled city was originally located along the shores of the Manila Bay, south of the entrance to Pasig River. Guarding the old city is Fort Santiago, its citadel located at the mouth of the river. This was where Jose Rizal was kept prisoner pending his trial and execution (how sad). Other forts include Baluarte De San Gabriel (built in 1593) with cannons pointed at Binondo (Chinatown) and Baluarte De Dilao (built in 1592) as part of the original fortifications.

Before the American Era, entrance to the city was through eight gates or Puertas namely (clockwise, from Fort Santiago) Puerta Almacenes, Puerta de la Aduana, Puerta de Santo Domingo, Puerta Isabel II, Puerta del Parian,  Puerta Real,  Puerta Sta. Lucia, and Puerta del Postigo. Formerly, drawbridges were raised and the city was closed and under sentinels from 11:00 pm till 4:00 am. It continued so until 1852, when, in consequence of the earthquake of that year, it was decreed that the gates should thenceforth remain open night and day.

After the end of the Spanish–American War, Spain surrendered the Philippines and several other territories to the United States as part of the terms of the Treaty of Paris for $20 million. The American flag was raised at Fort Santiago on August 13, 1898 indicating the start of American rule over the city. The Ayuntamiento became the seat of the Philippine Commission of the United States in 1901 while Fort Santiago became the headquarters of the Philippine Division of the United States Army.

In December 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Philippines. The first casualties in Intramuros brought by the war were the destruction of Santo Domingo Church and the original University of Santo Tomas campus during an assault.

At the end of World War II, virtually all of the structures in Intramuros were destroyed, with only the damaged Church of San Agustin still standing.

Altogether I spent almost 3 hours walking around Intramuros, and some of the other places I saw were:

·    the Palace of the Archbishop (I was not allowed in because this is the residence of the Archbishop of Manila);

·         the Monument to commemorate those who died in the Battle For Manila, 1945 (the battle for  independence against Japan);

·       Manila Cathedral (also known as the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception). The first ever was built out of nipa and bamboo in 1571 and had been destroyed by fire and earthquakes. This is the 8^th structure;

·         Palacio del Gobernador (the official residence of the Spanish viceroyalties to the Philippines. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1863. The residence of the Governor-General was moved to Malacañang Palace (now the residence of the President).

·         Plaza de Roma (sort of like a small park)

·         Plaza Mexico (the same)

·     Ayuntamiento de Manila – once the seat of the City Council of Manila. Destroyed several times by earthquakes. Site of sessions of the First Philippine Assembly in 1907 and Philippine Legislation in 1935. Housed the offices of the Bureau of Justice and Supreme Court during the American and Commonwealth period. Destroyed in the Battle of Manila in 1945. Going to be converted into the Bureau of Treasury Office.

·    Restaurant called “The House That Fried Chicken Built”. Not that funny and yet I took a picture.

·         Aduana, formerly the Customs House.

·         Remnants of Beaterio-Colegio De Santa Catalina and Colegio De San Juan Letran

·         Hospital De San Juan De Dios – built in 1578 by a Franciscan. In the 1930s became known as the largest private hospital in the Philippines. Used as treatment centre for Japanese soldiers in World War II. Destroyed in 1945 during the Battle for Manila.

·   Churches - San Agustin Church (Augustinians) (built in 1607), San Nicolas de Tolentino Church (Recollects), San Francisco Church and Convent (Franciscans), Third Venerable Order Church (Third Order of St. Francis), Santo Domingo Church and Convent (Dominican), Lourdes Church (Capuchins), and the San Ignacio Church (Jesuits).

·    University of Santo Tomas (oldest university in Asia. Founded in 1611, the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas is also today the world's largest Catholic university on a single campus. It has been visited by two popes, and is the alma mater of many illustrious individuals, including national hero José Rizal and a number of presidents of the Philippines)

·         Plaza Santo Tomas (another small park)